Article-handling device



July 16, 1929.

R. JONGEDYK ARTICLE HANDLING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheex Filed June 13, 1927Mme/77W imp/7 JmyeW/r Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH JONGEDYK, F HINSDALE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COM-PANY, INCORPORATED, 015 NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ARTICLE-HANDLING DEVICE.

Application filed June 13,

This invention relates to article handling devices, and moreparticularly to improvements in reel handling devices.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a simple,inexpensive and reliable device for efliciently and convenientlyhandling reels and other like objects.

In accordance with the general features of the invention there isprovided in one embodiment thereof a device comprising a harpoonlikemember designed to enter the axial bore of a reel and mechanicallyoperated to engage or release the reel by means of a plurality of latchmembers actuated by the engagement of a pivoted member with the face ofthe reel.

Other features and advantages of the in- "cntion will become apparent inthe following detailed description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly insection, of a lifting device embodying the fea tures of the presentinvention, a fragmentary section of a reel being also shown for thepurpose of illustrating the operation of the device;

Figs. 2 and 3 are elevational views similar to Fig. 1 illustratingseveral of the operating positions of the improved lifting device;

F ig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 4;

r Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8,and

Figs. 10 and 11 are enlarged horizontal sections taken on lines 10-10and 11-11, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designatelike parts throughout the several views, the numeral 15 designates astem or elongated body having an annular loop 16 secured at one endthereof and an enlarged tapered. head 17 formed at its opposite end.Projecting transversely from the stem 15 intermediate its ends is arectangular flange 18 and slidable upon the stem between the flange 18and the head 17 is a sleex e 20. In order to obtain maximum rigidity,the head 17 and the flange 1927. Serial No. 198,680.

18 are preferably formed integral with the stem 15. For this reason thesleeve 20 is composed of a plurality of individual sections (Fig. 10) sothat it may be readily assembled upon the stem 15. The individualsections of the sleeve 20 are rigidly secured together by means of aplurality of of pins or rivets 22- 22. As shown in the drawings, theportion of the stem upon which the sleeve 20 is slidable is oftriangular cross section and the bore of the sleeve is likewisetriangular in cross section. Although it is to be understood that theinvention is not to be limited to this particular construction, theadvantages of such construction in the present embodiment of theinvention will become apparent as the detailed description progresses.

Rigidly secured within suitable slots formed in the head 17 are aplurality of equidlstantly spaced metal inserts 24-24, the end portionsof which project beyond the upper surface 25 of the head as indicated at26 (Fig. 9). It Will be noted that the inserts 24 are centrally disposedwith respect to the side faces of the stem 15 (Fig. 11).

Loosely mounted in the projecting end portion of each of the inserts 24is a pin 28, and secured at one end to each of the pins 28 is a link orsupporting member 29 which is pivotally connected at its opposite end toone end of a relatively shorter link 30. The opposite ends of the links30 are pivoted in bifurcations 32-32 formed in the lower end of thesleeve 20 (Figs. 8 and 9). Each of the links 29 and its associated link30 normally engages a side face of the stem 15. WVhen in this positionthe links cooperate with the stem 15 to form a substantially cylindricalmember of the same diameter as the sleeve 20 and the head 17. Leafsprings 27, 27 secured at one end in suitable recesses 31, 31 (Fig. 9)formed on the inner surfacesof the links 29 tend to move these linksoutwardly away from the stem 15.

Projecting transversely from the upper end of the sleeve 20 are a pairof oppositely disposed rectangularflanges 33 and 34 (Figs. 5 and 6). Apair of oppositely disposed parallel bars or levers 35-35 are pivotallysupported intermediate their ends upon outwardly projecting end portionsof a pin 37 mounted within the flange 33. Carried at one end of thelevers 35 is a roller 38 and supported between the opposite ends thereofis a block or latch member 39 having a notch 40 formed therein which isdesigned to latch-.

ably engage the upper surface of the flange 18 (Fig. 5). Pivotallysupported upon outwardly projecting end portions of a pin 42 mounted inthe flange 34 is a latch member 43 which is slotted or'bifurcated so asto straddle the flange 34, the upper surface 44 of the slot beingadapted to engage the upper surface of the flange 18, as shown in Fig.3. A compression spring 45 (Fig. 7) interposed between the upper surfaceof the flange 34 and the surface 44 of the latch member serves tonormally hold the latch member in latching engagement with the flange34.

Oppositely disposed pins 46, 46 projecting inwardly from the levers 35are oositioned ,and arranged to engage lugs 47, 4 projecting fromopposite sides of the latch member 43 (Figs. 4 and 5). The constructionis such that the levers 35 disengage the latch member 43 from the flange18 when the levers are caused to rotate in a clockwise direction fromthe position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 1. A finger50 pivotally supported at one end upon a pin 51 secured to the stem isarranged toengage a recess 52 formed in the latch member 43 when thelatch member is disengaged from the flange 18 and serves to hold thelatch member in a dis engaged position against the opposing action ofthe spring 45. Downward movement of the finger 50 is limited by theengagement of a transversely projecting portion 54 of the fingerengaging the upper surface of the flange 18. V

The following is a brief description of the operation of the abovedescribed lifting device as employed in the handling of reels and otherlike objects. The device is carried in a vertical position, as shown inthe drawings, the hook 16 thereof being designed to engage a dependinghook (not shown) of an overhead craneor other hoisting apparatus of anysuitable type. When the device is idle, the pivoted supporting links 29and 30 thereof are latched in the position shown in Fig. 1 by theengagement of the latch member 39 with the flange 18. When sopositioned, the device may be inserted inv the axial bore of a reel, thetapered construction of the head 17 serving to facilitate suchinsertion. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the reference numeral 58 designates'afragmentary section of a reel of any gusual type, such as those employedfor shipping telephone cables, comprising a hollow drum 59 having a head60 secured at each end thereof, each head being provided with a centralaperture 61 which is of-smaller diameter than the inside diameter of thedrum.

Upon the downward movement of the device into the hollow of the drum 59,the roller 38 engages the upper head of the reel, as shown in Fig. 1,andas the device continues to move downwardly, the levers 35 are rotated ina counter-clockwise direction (Fig.

1) whereupon the latch member 39 is disengaged from the flange 18. Thispermits the movement of the stem 15 upwardly through the sleeve 20,which movement causes the links 29 and 30 to expand, as shown in Fig. 2.It will be obvious that the function of the leaf springs 27 is to startthis expanding movement of the links 29 and 30.

When positioned, as shown in Fig. 2, the upper ends of the links 29 areadapted to engage the under side of the upper head of the reel and thuswhen the device is moved upwardly the reel is supported and carried uponthe links 29. By reason of the loose pivotal connection of the lowerends of the links 29, as hereinbefore described, the links are caused toengage the upper surface of the head 17, as best shown in Fig. 9, thuseliminating substantially all strain upon the pivotal pins 28.

In order to release the reel after it has been brought to rest, thedevice is moved clownwardly and upon the lower surface of the flanges 33and 34 engaging the upper surface of the reel head, as shown in Fig. 3,the stem 15 is caused to move downwardly through the sleeve 20, thuscausing the links and to move to their normal positions whereupon thespring actuated latch 43 engages the flange 18. The device may now belifted out of the bore of the reel and in so doing the levers 35 rotatein a clockwise direction 2), due to the weight of the roller 38 beinggreater than that of the latch member 39. It will be understood thatsuch rotation of the levers 35 causes the latch member 39 to engage theflange 18. At the same time the pins 46 which are carried by the levers35 engage the lugs 47 of the latch member 43, thereby causing this latchmember to become disengaged from the flange 18, whereupon the finger 50drops into the recess 52, as shown in Fig. 1.

From the above description it will be obvious that the improved liftingdevice may be readily and conveniently operated by a single operatorfrom a crane cab or other distant point without the aid of an attendant.Furthermore, it will be understood that the simple and rigidconstruction of the device renders its use very safe and reliable forhandling heavy reels and other like obj ects.

Although the invention is herein illustrated and described inconjunction with a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understoodthat the novel features of the invention are capable of various otherapplications within the scope of the appended claims.

hat is claimed is:

1. In an article handling device, an elongated stem, a tubular memberloosely carried thereon, an expansion member interconnect ing the stemand the tubular member and adapted to enter within the article, saidexpansion member being actuated by a relative movement between the stemand the tubular member to grip and release the article, a pivoted membercarried by the tubular member adapted to engage an outer surface of thearticle, and a plurality of latch members associated with the pivotedmember and efifective upon the engagement thereof with the surface ofthe article for controlling the movement between the stem and thetubular member to thereby control the actuation of the expansion member.

2. In a device for handling reels, a stem having an enlarged head at oneend thereof, and a transverse flange at its opposite end, asleeve-slidable upon the stem intermediate the flange and the enlargedhead, an expansion member interconnecting one end of the sleeve with theenlarged head of the stem, said expansion member being adapted to enterwithin the aXial bore of a reel and actuated by a relative movementbetween the stem and the sleeve to engage the under surface of a head ofthe reel, a latch member pivotally carried by the sleeve adapted toengage the transverse flange of the stem to prevent relative movementtherebet-ween, one end of the latch member being adapted to engage theouter surface of the reel head whereby the latch member is disengagedfrom the flange of the stem upon the downward movement of the stemwithin the axial bore of the reel.

3. In a device for handling reels, an elongated stem, a tubular memberslidable thereon and adapted to enter the axial bore of a reel, aplurality of hinged gripping fingers adapted to open upon a relativemovement of the stem and the tubular member in one direction and closeupon a relative movement thereof in the opposite direction, the grippingfingers when in their open positions being adapted to engage the undersurface of a head of the reel, a latch member carried by the tubularmember for normally holding the gripping fingers in their closedpositions, a pivoted arm associated with the latch member and adapted toengage the upper surface of the reel head whereby the latch member isreleased when the tubular member moves downwardly within the bore of thereel, thereby permitting a relative movement between the stem and thetubular member whereby the gripping fingers are opened into position toengage the under side of the reel head, means for limiting the downwardmovement of the tubular member within the bore of the reel whereby adownward movement of the stem closes the gripping fingers, and a springpressed latch for thereafter locking the gripping fingers in theirclosed positions.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 2nd day of June,A. D. 1927.

RALPH J ONGEDYK.

